For many people, laser eye surgery is life-changing, but things can and do go wrong, with rising numbers of people suffering a personal injury as a result. If you have suffered an injury, or your eyesight has worsened as a result of laser eye surgery, we can help you bring a claim.
If a medical practitioner has acted negligently in performing laser eye surgery, this can have a devastating effect on your life as well as the lives of your loved ones. As a result, you could be due compensation for your injuries, suffering, and loss. We have a specialist eye injury team who deal with these cases day in day out across the UK to bring successful claims against practitioners including big high-street names. We regularly pursue cases against Optical Express.
To discuss your specific circumstances with a member of our specialist team here at Friends Legal, call us now on 0333 3580 583 or complete our online enquiry form, and we will get back to you right away. We’re real people solving real problems.
Making a Laser Eye Surgery Claim in England and Wales
Laser eye surgery is carried out by an ophthalmologist. However, there may be a number of medical professionals involved in your care. The procedure involves the use of lasers to reshape the cornea so that you can focus and see better. The surgery can be used to correct both long and short-sightedness, and astigmatism. We understand that it may be difficult for you to understand what went wrong and who is at fault, but our team can advise you. You may be able to bring a claim against the organisation providing your treatment, regardless of which member of staff was specifically at fault.
Under What Circumstances Can I Bring a Laser Eye Surgery Claim?
To bring a claim for compensation in relation to laser eye surgery, we will need to prove that the professional who carried out your surgery was negligent in doing so. We can help clients bring claims in circumstances when:
- The surgeon has not taken into account any pre-existing eye conditions or a history of them
- You are an unsuitable patient for the surgery, but it has been carried out anyway.
- The practitioner failed to tell you about the risks and reasonable alternatives to the surgery
- The aftercare fell below an acceptable standard
- The professional has fitted a faulty or defective lens
- The surgeon was negligent during surgery
- You have been fitted with the wrong type of lens
- The surgeon has failed to consider the pre-surgery eye prescription or eye scans properly
It may be difficult for you to understand what has happened to you fully, but when you contact our team, we will take the time to listen to you and understand whether you can bring a claim.
Lack of Informed Consent
You might be able to bring a claim even where your practitioner did everything correctly during the procedure if they failed to inform you of the risks and alternatives properly. This is known as a lack of informed consent, and we have helped many people make successful claims under these circumstances.
Lens Replacement Surgery Claims in England and Wales
Lens replacement surgery is a specialist ophthalmic vision correction procedure. The procedure is now offered by high-street providers, as well as small independent practitioners. The procedure is often attractive to consumers because when it is successful, it can reduce the need to wear contact lenses or glasses by improving both near and distance vision. A high number of cases are successful; however, lens replacement surgery can go wrong, with devastating consequences. Out of all the five senses, vision is the most important and our eyes provide our most precious gift – the gift of sight. If this is ruined by laser eye surgery or lens replacement surgery, it can affect your mental health and your ability to work. If you have suffered an injury as a result of lens replacement surgery, we can help you claim the compensation rightfully owed to you. We may be able to work with you on a no win, no fee basis.
How much compensation could I claim for a laser eye surgery injury?
Friends Legal always strives to get the maximum compensation owed to our clients.
Our lawyers have thorough experience in dealing with insurers and will pursue your claim as efficiently as possible, without compromising your settlement amount. We will ensure that, where appropriate, you are fully compensated for the following:
- Compensation for your injury (including psychiatric injury, if appropriate)
- Reclaiming the cost of your unsuccessful surgery,
- Past loss of earnings and future earnings
- Care costs
- Compensation for care and assistance required from family members
- Private medical treatment costs, including future surgery, where required
- Out-of-pocket expenses such as pain medication or dry eye treatment costs
- Travel to medical appointments
There are, of course, many ways in which you may have suffered financial loss, and this list is not exhaustive.
For example, in 2014 a 28-year-old woman called Stephanie Holloway was awarded over half a million pounds in compensation by a court after laser eye surgery at Optical Express. The court assessed her claim to have a value of £567,287, a large part of which was to compensate — the Judge ruled — her for future loss of earnings.
In that case, Judge Bailey said, “She has experienced an almost complete return of her serious myopia. She suffers from haze, that is a visual blurring in both eyes. This reduces her acuity by about 50 per cent in her right eye, and 30 per cent in the left. She has significant photophobia. There is little prospect of improvement. Her life has been blighted.” The judge went on to say, “Miss Holloway was not given sufficient information about the treatment and the risk of complications for the process of informed consent… The defendants were, therefore, in breach of their duty to give a sufficient explanation of the treatment proposed and of the risks of complications inherent in that treatment such as to enable the claimant to give informed consent.”
Contact Us for a Free Initial Assessment & Advice from Our Specialist Eye Team
We have a specialist eye injury team who deal with these cases regularly across the UK. We understand the impact your injury may have had on your life, and we will fight to get you the maximum compensation you are owed. Furthermore, we act with efficiency, and continually push forward with your case, keeping you informed at every stage.
To get started with your claim today, contact us today by calling 0333 3580 583 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of our dedicated team will get back to you right away. We’re here to help.
